Field of the Invention
This invention relates to moving large slabs. A typical slab to be moved is a stone slab 9 inches thick measuring 60 inches wide and 80 inches long. A typical operation would be placing stone slabs in a garden or in walkways.
This machine, with its combination of mechanisms, can be used for the purpose of handling heavy dimensional slabs of stone, concrete, steel, or other massive materials such as boxes, packages, and crates, in the following (but not limited to) operations: loading, unloading, placing dry walls, transporting, placing in stacks, placing in storage, and tilt-up operations. Landscape gardeners have ordinary skill in the art.
(1) Progressive Contribution to the Art
The principle of operations is grabbing the slab by moving cuffs together. Two cuffs are moved together by tightening a cable horizontally by vertically pulling on the cable. The cable is attached to the top portion of a travel cuff, then passed under a pulley attached to a lift cuff, then up through a guide ring which is attached to the upper portion of a stabilizing mast, which is attached to the lift cuff.
Gravity plays an important factor in the operation of this machine. The heavier the slab to be lifted and transported; the tighter the grip on the slab.
The aforementioned pulley allows the vertical lift energy to be directed from a vertical pull to a horizontal pull, thus tightening the grip of the lift cuff and the opposing travel cuff.
(2) Objects of this Invention
An object of this invention is to fasten a lift unit to a heavy slab; then lift, move, and place the slab in a new location.
Another object is to provide equipment to fasten, lift, and release a slab as described above.
Further objects are to achieve the above with devices that are sturdy, compact, durable, simple, safe, efficient, versatile, ecologically compatible, low maintenance, energy conserving, and reliable, yet inexpensive and easy to manufacture, install, operate, and maintain.
Other objects are to achieve the above with a method that is rapid, versatile, ecologically compatible, energy conserving, efficient, and inexpensive, and does not require highly skilled people to install, operate, and maintain.
Further objects are to achieve the above with equipment that is easy to store, has a long storage life, is safe, versatile, efficient, stable and reliable, yet is inexpensive and easy to manufacture and operate.
The specific nature of the invention, as well as other objects, uses, and advantages thereof, will clearly appear from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, the different views of which are not necessarily scale drawings.